An early recording of the hammered dulcimer  Ain't Dat a Shame Medley from 1908.

Ain't Dat a Shame Medley

Company

Edison's National Phonograph Company

Cylinder #

8021

Category

Dulcimer solo

Title

Ain't Dat a Shame Medley

Performed by

William Moriarity

Circa

1908

Announcement

"Dulcimer solo, 'Ain't Dat a Shame Medley', played by William Moriarity. Edison record."

During this period in the early recording industry, many somewhat
off-the-mainstream musical instruments were exercised in front of
the recording horn in solo performances.
In record company catalogs, one could find recordings of popular tunes
rendered by Zither, Ocarina, Concertina, Bagpipes, Metalophone 
not to mention the more common
Bassoon, Piccolo, Bass & Alto Flute, Bells, Chimes, Guitar, Mandolin, and Accordion.
Oddly, the pervasive piano was rarely a featured soloist on wax cylinders.
Some instruments just recorded better than others.

Here the hammered dulcimer gets its two minutes of fame.
Edison recorded six dulcimer solos on two-minute wax cylinders.
The dulcimer generally recorded well except, as you will hear,
in the higher registers.